Is your life fueled by Angel’s cocktails or Devil’s cocktails?
No, these aren’t drinks from your local bar. These are the cocktails mixed up right in your brain. In his book “High on Life” David JP Phillips introduces a fresh way of thinking about our mood and how we can affect how we feel through our actions and behaviors.
In Phillips’ model, we whip up either Angel’s cocktails, full of feel-good neurochemicals, or Devil’s cocktails, which do the opposite. Even though we all want to feel happy, many of us end up sipping more Devil’s cocktails, thanks to chronic stress, a negative outlook on life, and too much fast dopamine (think social media and junk food).
Here’s a summary of the book’s key points, put together by our neuroscientist and Focus Coach Blanca.
Cocktail Ingredients
To simplify things, Phillips focuses on six key brain chemicals: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, Cortisol, Endorphins, and Testosterone.
He picks these based on three criteria:
- They produce noticeable effects quickly.
- You can boost them whenever you want.
- Simple, practical tools can increase their levels.
Not all Angel’s cocktails are the same – you can mix and match based on what you need at the moment:
- Dopamine for motivation, desire, and pleasure.
- Oxytocin for presence, connectedness, and compassion.
- Serotonin for contentment, mood, and stability.
- Cortisol (in low amounts) for focus and excitement.
- Endorphins for euphoria.
- Testosterone for confidence.
The Recipe for Angel’s Cocktails
The foundation for all these positive cocktails? Good sleep, a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and daily meditation. Then add 1-3 of the more specific ingredients. Phillips loads the book with practical tools to help you mix up the cocktails of your choosing cocktails, so you can feel your best.
Why You’ll Love This Book
Phillips does a fantastic job of breaking down brain chemistry in an engaging, easy-to-understand way, using plenty of metaphors and stories. While he acknowledges some oversimplifications (because, let’s face it, the brain is super complex), these don’t take away from the usefulness of his tools. The cocktail model is a fun, accessible way to understand and influence how we feel.
So, if you’re looking to take control of your mood and mix up more Angel’s cocktails, “High on Life” is definitely worth a read!
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